Preparing Students For Work Vocational Training Seen As Wave Of Future

August 20, 1989|By Allen Wilson of The Sentinel Staff

KISSIMMEE — As the job market expands, preparing students for the work force becomes increasingly important, according to one high school career counselor.

Carol Murphy, occupational placement specialist at Osceola High School, said students must become more aware of the world of work.

''The supply and demand is not evenly matched right now,'' Murphy said. ''The majority of part-time job requests we get are from fast-food restaurants. Yet students seem to want other types of jobs, even though the fast-food places offer better pay and benefits. Students have to understand that, in some cases, the least glamorous job is the better-paying one.''

Over the past 10 years, there has been a strong push toward college education. But Murphy believes that trend is likely to subside.

She anticipates that colleges with be replaced by vocational-type training in the next 10 years.

''College is a good means for a well-rounded education,'' Murphy said, ''but if a student is only interested in computer training, he or she needs to concentrate on that profession.''

Murphy added that students will need three basic skills to survive in the 1990s job market: - Communication (reading and writing).

- The ability to get along with people.

- Keyboarding.

''The biggest challenge of our students will be to keep up with changes,'' she said. ''Information that is valuable today will not be tomorrow. Having the basic skills will help them in the long run.''

Businesses need to get more involved in education by offering apprenticeships to students, Murphy said. Schools should give recognition to students with technical, electrical and mechanical skills and perhaps offer scholarships to trade schools as well as colleges.